a girl of the limberlost-第24章

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〃Good！〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Good！　　You've　made　a

splendid　choice。　　It　will　take　her　mind　off　herself

a　lot。　　But　she　will　scold　you。〃



〃Of　course；〃　assented　Elnora。　　〃But；　possibly　she　will

read　it；　and　feel　better。　　I'm　going　to　serve　her　a　trick。　

I　am　going　to　hide　it　until　Monday；　and　set　it　on　her　little

shelf　of　books　the　last　thing　before　I　go　away。　　She　must

have　all　of　them　by　heart。　　When；　she　sees　a　new　one　she

can't　help　being　glad；　for　she　loves　to　read；　and　if　she　has

all　day　to　become　interested；　maybe　she'll　like　it　so　she

won't　scold　so　much。〃



〃We　are　both　in　for　it；　but　I　guess　we　are　prepared。　

I　don't　know　what　Margaret　will　say；　but　I'm　going　to　take

Billy　home　and　see。　　Maybe　he　can　win　with　her；　as　he

did　with　us。〃



Elnora　had　doubts；　but　she　did　not　say　anything　more。　

When　they　started　home　Billy　sat　on　the　front　seat。　

He　drove　with　the　hitching　strap　tied　to　the　railing　of

the　dash…board；　flourished　the　whip；　and　yelled

with　delight。　　At　first　Sinton　laughed　with　him；　but

by　the　time　he　left　Elnora　with　several　packages　at　her

gate；　he　was　looking　serious　enough。



Margaret　was　at　the　door　as　they　drove　up　the　lane。　

Wesley　left　Billy　in　the　carriage；　hitched　the　horses　and

went　to　explain　to　her。　　He　had　not　reached　her　before　she

cried；　〃Look；　Wesley；　that　child！　　You'll　have　a　runaway！〃



Wesley　looked　and　ran。　　Billy　was　standing　in　the

carriage　slashing　the　mettlesome　horses　with　the　whip。



〃See　me　make　'em　go！〃　he　shouted　as　the　whip　fell　a

second　time。



He　did　make　them　go。　　They　took　the　hitching　post

and　a　few　fence　palings；　which　scraped　the　paint　from

a　wheel。　　Sinton　missed　the　lines　at　the　first　effort；

but　the　dragging　post　impeded　the　horses；　and　he　soon

caught　them。　　He　led　them　to　the　barn；　and　ordered　Billy

to　remain　in　the　carriage　while　he　unhitched。　　Then　leading

Billy　and　carrying　his　packages　he　entered　the　yard。



〃You　run　play　a　few　minutes；　Billy；〃　he　said。　　〃I　want

to　talk　to　the　nice　lady。〃



The　nice　lady　was　looking　rather　stupefied　as　Wesley

approached　her。



〃Where　in　the　name　of　sense　did　you　get　that　awful

child？〃　she　demanded。



〃He　is　a　young　gentleman　who　has　been　stopping　Elnora

and　eating　her　lunch　every　day；　part　of　the　time

with　the　assistance　of　his　brother　and　sister；　while　our

girl　went　hungry。　　Brownlee　told　me　about　it　at　the　store。　

It's　happened　three　days　running。　　The　first　time　she

went　without　anything；　the　second　time　Brownlee's　girl

took　her　to　lunch；　and　the　third　a　crowd　of　high　school

girls　bought　a　lot　of　stuff　and　met　them　at　the　bridge。　

The　youngsters　seemed　to　think　they　could　rob　her　every

day；　so　I　went　to　see　their　father　about　having　it　stopped。〃



〃Well；　I　should　think　so！〃　cried　Margaret。



〃There　were　three　of　them；　Margaret；〃　said　Wesley；

〃that　little　fellow〃



〃Hyena；　you　mean；〃　interpolated　Margaret。　



〃Hyena；〃　corrected　Wesley　gravely；　〃and　another

boy　and　a　girl；　all　equally　dirty　and　hungry。　　The　man

was　dead。　　They　thought　he　was　in　a　drunken　sleep；

but　he　was　stone　dead。　　I　brought　the　little　boy　with

me；　and　sent　the　officers　and　other　help　to　the　house。　

He's　half　starved。　　I　want　to　wash　him；　and　put　clean

clothes　on　him；　and　give　him　some　supper。〃



〃Have　you　got　anything　to　put　on　him？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃



〃Bought　it。　　It　ain't　much。　　All　I　got　didn't　cost　a　dollar。〃



〃A　dollar　is　a　　good　deal　when　you　work　and　save　for

it　the　way　we　do。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　know　a　better　place　to　put　it。　　Have　you

got　any　hot　water？　　I'll　use　this　tub　at　the　cistern。　

Please　give　me　some　soap　and　towels。〃



Instead　Margaret　pushed　by　him　with　a　shriek。　　Billy　had

played　by　producing　a　cord　from　his　pocket；　and　having

tied　the　tails　of　Margaret's　white　kittens　together；　he　had

climbed　on　a　box　and　hung　them　across　the　clothes　line。　

Wild　with　fright　the　kittens　were　clawing　each　other

to　death；　and　the　air　was　white　with　fur。　　The　string

had　twisted　and　the　frightened　creatures　could　not

recognize　friends。　　Margaret　stepped　back　with　bleeding　hands。　

Sinton　cut　the　cord　with　his　knife　and　the　poor　little　cats

raced　under　the　house　bleeding　and　disfigured。　

Margaret　white　with　wrath　faced　Wesley。



〃If　you　don't　hitch　up　and　take　that　animal　back　to

town；〃　she　said；　〃I　will。〃



Billy　threw　himself　on　the　grass　and　began　to　scream。



〃You　said　I　could　have　fried　chicken　for　supper；〃

he　wailed。　　〃You　said　she　was　a　nice　lady！〃



Wesley　lifted　him　and　something　in　his　manner　of

handling　the　child　infuriated　Margaret。　　His　touch　was

so　gentle。　　She　reached　for　Billy　and　gripped　his　shirt

collar　in　the　back。　　Wesley's　hand　closed　over　hers。



〃Gently；　girl！〃　he　said。　　〃This　little　body　is　covered

with　sores。〃



〃Sores！〃　she　ejaculated。　　〃Sores？　　What　kind　of　sores？〃



〃Oh；　they　might　be　from　bruises　made　by　fists　or　boot

toes；　or　they　might　be　bad　blood；　from　wrong　eating；

or　they　might　be　pure　filth。　　Will　you　hand　me　some　towels？〃



〃No；　I　won't！〃　said　Margaret。



〃Well；　give　me　some　rags；　then。〃



Margaret　compromised　on　pieces　of　old　tablecloth。　

Wesley　led　Billy　to　the　cistern；　pumped　cold　water　into

the　tub；　poured　in　a　kettle　of　hot；　and　beginning　at　the

head　scoured　him。　　The　boy　shut　his　little　teeth；　and

said　never　a　word　though　he　twisted　occasionally　when

the　soap　struck　a　raw　spot。　　Margaret　watched　the　process

from　the　window　in　amazed　and　ever…increasing　anger。　

Where　did　Wesley　learn　it？　　How　could　his　big　hands　be

so　gentle？　　He　came　to　the　door。



〃Have　you　got　any　peroxide？〃　he　asked。



〃A　little；〃　she　answered　stiffly。



〃Well；　I　need　about　a　pint；　but　I'll　begin　on　what　you　have。〃



Margaret　handed　him　the　bottle。　　Wesley　took　a　cup；

weakened　the　drug　and　said　to　Billy：　　〃Man；　these　sores

on　you　must　be　healed。　　Then　you　must　eat　the　kind　of

food　that's　fit　for　little　men。　　I　am　going　to　put　some

medicine　on　you；　and　it　is　going　to　sting　like　fire。　　If　it

just　runs　off；　I　won't　use　any　more。　　If　it　boils；　there　is

poison　in　these　places；　and　they　must　be　tied　up；　dosed

every　day；　and　you　must　be　washed；　and　kept　mighty　clean。　

Now；　hold　still；　because　I　am　going　to　put　it　on。〃



〃I　think　the　one　on　my　leg　is　the　worst；〃　said　the　undaunted

Billy；　holding　out　a　raw　place。　　Sinton　poured　on　the　drug。　

Billy's　body　twisted　and　writhed；　but　he　did　not　run。



〃Gee；　look　at　it　boil！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　guess　they's　poison。　

You'll　have　to　do　it　to　all　of　them。〃



Wesley's　teeth　were　set；　as　he　watched　the　boy's　face。　

He　poured　the　drug；　strong　enough　to　do　effective　work；

on　a　dozen　places　over　that　little　body　and　bandaged　all

he　could。　　Billy's　lips　quivered　at　times；　and　his　chin

jumped；　but　he　did　not　shed　a　tear　or　utter　a　sound　other

than　to　take　a　deep　interest　in　the　boiling。　　As　Wesley

put　the　small　shirt　on　the　boy；　and　fastened　the　trousers；

he　was　ready　to　reset　the　hitching　post　and　mend　the　fence

without　a　word。



〃Now　am　I　clean？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Yes；　you　are　clean　outside；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃There　is

some　dirty　blood　in　your　body；　and　some　bad　words　in

your　mouth；　that　we　have　to　get　out；　but　that　takes　time。　

If　we　put　right　things　to　eat　into　your　stomach

that　will　do　away　with　the　sores；　and　if　you　know　that

I　don't　like　bad　words　you　won't　say　them　any　oftener

than　you　can　help；　will　you　Billy？〃



Billy　leaned　against　Wesley　in　apparent　indifference。　



〃I　want　to　see　me！〃　he　demanded。



Wesley　led　the　boy　into　the　house；　and　lifted　him　to　a　mirror。



〃My；　I'm　purty　good…looking；　ain't　I？〃　bragged　Billy。　

Then　as　Wesley　stooped　to　set　him　on　the　floor　Billy's

lips　passed　close　to　the　big　man's　ear　and　hastily

whispered　a　vehement　〃No！〃　as　he　ran　for　the　door。



〃How　long　until　supper；　Margaret？〃　asked　Wesley

as　he　followed。



〃You　are　going　to　keep　him　for　sup